1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly for holding a number of dental shade guides.
2. Description of the Related Art
Weakened, damaged or missing teeth are repaired by dental restorations Some restorations are made by using a dental composite material that repairs and sometimes replaces damaged tooth structure. Other restorations such as crowns, bridges, implants, dentures and the like are made of an artificial tooth or set of teeth that is secured in place in the oral cavity.
Dentists use dental shade guides to select an appropriate color for restorations. Typically, a set of dental shade guides is used, each of a different color. The shade guides are held next to the teeth in order to facilitate selection of the shade guide having a color which best matches the color of the patient's teeth. Once a particular guide is chosen, indicia on the guide enable the dentist to choose restorative material with proper coloring or pigments.
Certain conventional shade guides are molded in the shape of a tooth, and have a depending handle for holding the guide next to the patient's teeth. A wire or chain-like member is threaded through holes in the handles of a number of shade guides in order to retain the shade guides together and yet permit grasping of individual shade guides as desired However, both hands are normally needed when attempting to compare the color of one shade guide to the color of another shade guide.
Other shade guide assemblies include a holder having a number of receptacles arranged in a row. Each receptacle is adapted to releasably receive a shade guide in such a manner that a portion of the shade guide extends above the holder and is visible. The dentist can use one hand to support the holder next to the patient's teeth to observe a number of shade guides at the same time (and, if desired, remove one or more of the guides from the holder for better viewing). However, only a limited number of shade guides can fit in the holder. While a larger holder with additional receptacles could be provided, such an arrangement might not be entirely satisfactory in instances where a larger holder would be cumbersome or in instances where many of the shade guides would not be needed during the selection process.